Yes we've started the season poor, and no this isn't a pick Matt Barkley thread, this is more of a general draft talk thread.

If anyone has any good draft sites, let me know and I can put them up in this first.

So questions:

1.) Position of greatest need?

Is it DE, and we spend another 1st rounder on D? Get Will Smith's useless behind out of here? Is it OT and finally spend a high pick on a tackle? Let Bushrod's turnstile butt go and pick up someone who can make our O-line complete? Is it a S? Pick either a FS or SS, and trade/cut one of Harper/Jenkins? Is it WR? We seem to miss Meachum, do we replace him with a stud from the 1st round and give Brees a deadly weapon for next year?

What do you guys think?

2.) Do we have any pieces we can trade for draft picks? If so, who?

3.) Favorite players in the draft and why?

I'll start with some of my favorite players:

1.) DE Michael Buchanen, Illinois.
6'5 250 lbs of terror. Needs to bulk up to play 4-3 DE, but he can do it. Great athleticism. Violent pass rusher with a good amount of moves.

2.) OT Jake Matthews, Texas A&M
Good OT who can do a bit of everything and has smarts.

3.) S TJ McDonald, USC
Guy who has the range to play both SS and FS. Plays in a Zone scheme right now, so wouldn't have too much trouble adapting.

4. DT Star Lotulelei, Utah
Great NT who can do everything and cause havoc on the line. Have him and Hicks paired up eventually and I think we'll see a strong interior. Bunkley certainly hasn't been bad, but Star could make our DT's a strength.

1.Dynamic pass rusher, weather that comes in the form of a OLB, DE or DT a pass rusher who can consistently apply pressure is without a doubt our #1 need.

2.Trade bait should start with some of the quality running backs we have that we don’t use.

3.Keke Mingo because he’s extremely raw but crazy athletic with blazing speed and sneaky power! Also one of the better motors in the draft to boot.

Having said all that, here is my top 5 prospects the Saints should target for Spags come April…

1. William Gholston DE Michigan State
Physically the kid is a Julius Peppers clone… he’s a major part of what the Spartans do on defense and if he can shed the label of being immature he’ll be a top 10 pick post NFL combine.

2. Keke Mingo DE/OLB Louisiana State
Simply the most athletically gifted defensive player I’ve seen enter the draft in years! KeKe possesses a burst and natural athleticism that is unmatched in this draft.

3. Jarvis Jones OLB Georgia
Jones is to me as close to a Von Miller clone as you will find!!! He’s a terror off the edge and like Miller possesses the athletic ability to make an easy transition from college 34 outside backer to a traditional 43 backer/edge rusher.

4. Sam Montgomery DE Louisiana State
The second of LSU’s dynamic duo, Montgomery is more of the traditional 43 defensive end but like Mingo possesses tremendous burst and athletic ability.

5. Jonathan Hankins DT Ohio State
Hankins is the next in line of massive defensive tackle prospects with surprising athletic ability. While many are drinking the Star Lotulelei kool-aid right now, don’t be shocked when you see Hankins as the first DT off the board come April.

I believe ANY of these guys would be well worth our likely high draft selection next year. Gholston, Mingo and Montgomery would all be a major upgrade over the aging Will Smith at RDE while Jones would add a dynamic linebacker and pass rusher in place of Shanle and could you imagine the up and coming DT duo of Hicks and Hankins!

Well, in all honesty, what poses the greatest need? It has GOT to be our line. I want Will Smith and Sedrick Ellis GONE. They have overstayed their welcome and haven't done (to quote Jim Mora) "diddly poo". Plus they are eating our cap away. Stick with Bunkley and Hicks at DT and continue to develop Martez Wilson and Junyah.

O-line will be fine...I still believe we have the best to guards in football, not to mention a servicable center. The defense needs an overhaul. We need pressure, competent LBs, our CBs to continue to play MAN coverage since they excel at that, and we need to desperately create turnovers. This all starts in the trenches...So let's go after D-Line._________________

I'm not impressed with either of the LSU DE's, and I think Jarvis Jones is by far the best defensive player in the draft. Like most you I want a DE. Will Smith is too expensive, and too fat. It's time for him to go. Junior and Tez are good rotational guys but we need a bonafide beast at end. I like what we've got with Jordan, Bunkley, and Hicks. If we could get a beast RDE we'd be in good shape. If our corners play better in man coverage imagine how much their play would improve if we could pressure the QB! Our safeties are absolute trash, but IMO Safeties can be drafted in the third. I wouldn't mind putting Corey White at FS, he can't be much worse than Jenkins. Sorry if I'm going off on a tangent lol I'm posting from my phone. If we draft a WR in the first I'll be pissed. If we draft an OT in the first I'd hope it's because Bushrod is asking for too much money and we refuse to pay him. I like our LB corps when healthy. Lofton is a stud, and if we could somehow get him, Hawthorne, and Vilma healthy and on the field at the same time we'll be in good shape._________________
gopherwrestler on the sig.
Adopt-a-Saint
Cam Jordan: 47 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 2 FF

Pass rusher. PERIOD!!!! Sit Will Smith and Sedrick Ellis on the Bench now. Changes need to be made ASAP.. After that we need a safety with Ball Skills.. Jenkins have poor ball skins._________________
Copyrighted by Kiltman
My Second Sig

If we go on a winning streak and fall out of the top 10 picks, Offensive tackle really starts to gain some steam if were picking say 14-20 and if that happens Jake Matthews (son of hall of famer Bruce Matthews) would be a very solid choice in that area.

I know a dynamic pass rusher is without question our biggest need but if we cant land one... getting a quality talent at the offensive tackle position for the next decade to me solves our second biggest need.

If so we can take the money saved on Bushrod, Ellis and Smith to prusue quality defensive free agents this off season like Cincy's Michael Johnson._________________

I'm probably talking to myself, but what about switching to a 3-4 if we get a high pick? Draft Jarvis Jones.

DE: Jordan
NT: Bunkley
DE: Hicks?/Smith

OLB: Jones
ILB: Lofton
ILB: Hawthorne
OLB: Wilson/Galette

Maybe?

Love it, posted a thread about a switch to a 3-4 2 weeks ago. If we stay with the 4-3 it needs to be Bjoern Werner if he declares. This guy is a monster and will be a top 5 defense player in the nfl for years. Not only is he from germay (what makes him even greater ), but he is a great rusher, can stop the run and a junior IRC...

Unless we fire Spags after a year and hire a new defensive coordinator we're not going to run a 3-4.

Agreed...

Look, no one on this site wants to see the Saints return to the 34 as much as me!!! The thing is though Spags is a 43 guy and he aint going no where. Payton hired Spags and i seriously doubt he'll want him gone before he can work with him.

Another things is while Cam Jordan & Akeem Hicks could excel in a 34 scheme... Lofton, Hawthorne, Vilma (if he's here) and Bunkley arent suited for roles in that scheme.

I say stay the course and give Spags time. We all knew he needed pass rushers to make this work and we all knew he dident have any currently. I will say though to protect ourselves in case Spags is eventually shown the door that whatever pass rusher we target in round one be versitle enough that he could play in either a 34 or 43 just in case..._________________